[JoshK]

I have some fairly stiff veneer and my biggest roundover router bit is 1/2".  It seems clear to me that if I try to turn the corner the veneer is going to crack.  Anyway around this?

[bubba966]

If you don't care to go with a bigger roundover, then steam it & bend it.

Use an iron & wet paper towels. Or better yet those blue "Shop Towels On A Roll" instead of paper towels.

[beat]

Hey josh,
I made some severe bends with eighth inch maple using the simple technique of spraying some water via a four dollar squirt bottle on the side of the wood that will be on the outside of the roundover. If you do a quick trial using clean soft water you will see if it is willing to naturally bend by the extra hydration on just the one side. the outside. It should just naturally curl up.  If it is still stubborn (which I wouldnt think sapele would be) you can mix a concoction of water, wood glue, and alcohol. You should not have to soak it only wet it on the one side. If that doesnt work go ahead and hit it with an iron as previously noted but I doubt you will need to go that severe.

[JoshK]

The water trick worked, I think, as I was able to turn the corner but I did get one small crack.  I will try to fix it when it dries.  Those fumes are really strong!  

[bubba966]

Fumes?

Are you using solvent based contact cement? You really should be using water based contact cement. No fumes. Longer work times. And it's cheaper as well.

Only real reason for solvent based use is around very moist areas, kitchen sink, etc.

And use a little more water next time, then you shouldn't crack it.

[JoshK]

Good to know!  I will need more to finish this project so I will look for the water based kind.  This is called DAP Contact Cement.  I am using it outside but it is still really strong.

[bubba966]

Yeah, that's solvent based cement. I've used it once, won't do so again. It's nasty, nasty stuff.

One of the things they taught first in school (I took 6 years of fine woodworking) about the contact cement was to not use solvent based stuff. Actually they preferred using waterproof wood glue in high moisture applications.

The solvent based looks cheaper to start as water based costs more up front. But the water based goes a lot farther than the solvent based kind does.

If you need the water based to dry a little faster, a hair dryer or heat gun works wonders. And you can also leave the water based stuff applied overnight (w/out sticking the two pieces together) & it'll still adhere the next day. Can't do that with solvent based.

[ErikM]

Try veneer softener to add some flexibility to stiff veneers.  Usually it is used to flatten veneer before use, but would allow you to bend the veneer around corners easier.

You can brew your own softener with the following recipe:

    *      3 parts water
    *      2 parts yellow glue
    *      1 part vegetable glycerin
    *      1 part denatured alcohol

Or just go to the drugstore and use only the glycerin.

Another option is use larger diameter roundovers.  Rockler is now stocking 3 inch MDF corner pieces you can build around.